Local Love: Where to eat, explore and celebrate in Waco, Texas

Less traffic. Less car-seat wrestling. Fewer grocery cart tangos. Less time in checkout lines. Fewer headaches.

More you-time. More balance. More bedtime stories. More weekend pancakes. Whatever you want more of – we can get the groceries so you have more time and energy.

So what will you do with the extra time? We’re here to help!

After gathering some local insight from a our Waco, Texas, shoppers, we made a list of the drool-worthiest foods and favorite local hangouts worth experiencing.

››Photo cred: @MagnoliaMarket

Magnolia Market (At the Silos)

The Magnolia Market is no stranger to Waco must lists. With shopping, games, food and the Chip-and-Joanna design style, there’s a lot to be inspired by. But there’s one thing especially worth mentioning here: the big green lawn. It’s the perfect spot to turn the kiddos loose and enjoy time with friends and family. Even better—kick off your shoes, curl up on a blanket, and pick up that book you’ve been meaning to finish.

Photo cred: @CheddarBoxWaco

Cheddar Box

It’s no secret. We’re a little cheesy at Shipt. Voted Waco’s Best Grilled Cheese restaurant, we just had to include Cheddar Box. And the best part? It’s located in the Magnolia Silos. So enjoy the lawn and make a picnic out of it! We recommend: Every. single. item.

Photo cred: @milowaco

Milo Biscuit Co.

We’re from Alabama, y’all. Locally-sourced, with everything made from scratch, the Milo Biscuit Co. is southern comfort meets local farm-fresh flavor plus a few surprising twists that left us drooling for more. The Wrecking Ball will wreck your face: sweet tea fried chicken, bacon, fried farm egg, and spicy honey mustard. Enough said.

Photo cred: Dr. Pepper Museum

Dr. Pepper Museum

We couldn’t explore Waco without mentioning one of the finest collections of soft drink history and memorabilia in the world. Pro tip: Stop in between 11-1 pm during the week for a family photo op and 50% off fountain drinks at the museum. What more would you want out of a Dr. Pepper Museum experience?

Photo cred: @SpiceVillage

Spice Village

Spice up your life (and your food!) with the Spice Village — a collection of inspiring, energizing shops featuring zesty decor, adorable clothes, and quirky knick-knacks galore. It was the perfect place to cool down after an afternoon on the lawn at Magnolia Market.

Photo cred: @babrewing

Bare Arms Brewing

Bare Arms Brewing got their name from a simple belief—If you’re passionate about something, you shouldn’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves, bare your arms, and go to work. We’d like to suggest another; if you’re working hard at balancing life, family and everything else, sometimes you need to roll up your sleeves, schedule some “you-time,” and enjoy one of the best beers in Waco.

Photo cred: @pokeyoswaco

Pokey-O’s

Ice cream is one of our favorite ways to start a relationship with a city. We’ve written about others here, here and here. So yes, you could say we’re ice-cream fanatics. And Pokey-O’s has some of THE BEST ice cream sandwiches we’ve ever eaten. Our favorite flavor? Fresh-baked Snickerdoodle cookies with Mocha Almond Fudge ice cream. The only way to find out where they are parked is to check their social media accounts. So do yourself a favor, and follow @Pokeyoswaco!

Photo cred: Gina Yu

Honorable mention: Torchy’s Tacos. We like tacos. No, we love tacos. And, really: who doesn’t? Torchy’s is not necessarily local — we wrote about them when we launched in Austin — but their tacos are damn good, and we happily indulge in them wherever we find them. Just try the breakfast tacos. You won’t be sorry.

WE LOVE YOU, Waco! It’s the first day of an awesome friendship, and we’re excited to call you a second home.

Now that you have Shipt grocery delivery available in Waco, you can get your favorite H-E-B groceries delivered right to you door! So go explore. Celebrate. Make memories – because less time at the grocery store means more time to do the things you love.